Kapitel 1: The Spark
Burning.
Fire searing through his flesh, it felt like the skin around his eye was bubbling and blistering. All he could see was red and people around him, their silhouettes blurred through tears. No matter how much he begged, pleaded, the pain never went away. Even when the hot iron was removed and he was left sobbing in the dark, even when he left years later, the pain never left.
Hands gripped the fabrics of his thin blanket. Bunching together in his tight grip, he sat there heaving, trying to get as much air as he could with each breath. It was agony. Burning agony radiated from the left side of his face. Nausea was not far behind when the pain started, making the space in his small tent spin uncontrollably. Even lying down helped little those days.
Covering his face with his hands, he remained like that with darkness around him. All he wanted was it to stop. Please, just make it stop.
Finally, a small voice called out to him. "Adam?"
Hands falling from his face, Adam snapped his head up, ready to shout at whoever disturbed him to leave him alone. However, the words died in his throat when he saw Blake standing there.
She seemed nervous. Standing there in the entrance to their tent, she seemed tiny compared to him even with Adam sitting down, yet was only three years younger than him. Heterochromatic eyes, one gold and one blue looked over him, clearly disturbed to see this person sitting there, sweating heavily while hands shook uncontrollably. That feeling was the worst. Seeing her so worried made him feel weak. Never again did he want to feel that way.
"I managed to find these." She started, walking fully into the tent with something in her hand. "Has it gotten worse?"
Staring at the bottle in her hands, Adam quickly brushed off her worries. "It's nothing."
"It's not." Blake retorted. Small cat ears twitching on top of her head, she kneeled in front of him, lifting a hand gently to brush over his scar. "Lemme check it ou-"
In a flash, his hand wrapped around her wrist. The tight grip made Blake flinch, the strength behind it terrifying, but it was the brief moment of panic that flashed across her face that Adam focused on. Guilt twisted his gut at his actions, but none of it ever managed to reach the surface, festering deep inside as he immediately loosened his grip and muttered. "Don't touch it."
She obeyed silently. Without another word, Blake simply grabbed the bottle and looked over the worn label. By the look on her face, the way her eyebrows furrowed in thought, Adam knew that something was bothering her. Something serious.
"Blake?" He started, leaning with his arms propped on top of his knees. "What is it?"
"Nothing."
"Blake." The way he called her name pushed Blake to meet his gaze. Neither of them spoke for a few moments, Blake kneeling there with her hands holding onto the bottle, almost like she was terrified to lose it.
Eyes falling to the side, she didn't even look at him as she confessed. "We don't have many medical supplies left. With all the fighting and the confrontations with human settlements…"
"They started those fights." Adam snapped.
"It doesn't matter who started them. What matters is that we're now paying for it." Blake's voice turned sharp. "If we keep going like this if Kaanchana doesn't stop attacking these peo-"
"She's the only one fighting for us!" Adam jumped up to his feet.
Towering over her, he could see that same fear in Blake's eyes. Yet even though she was barely in her teens, Blake stood up for herself, getting back up to her feet while Adam ranted at her. "No one else has the strength needed to do what she does! It's about time that humans realise that we won't be pushed around anymore, and if that means we have to get blood on our hands, then that's the way it has to be!"
"But these are innocent people!"
"There are no innocent people!"The sheer malice and bitterness in his voice made Blake recoil. Any attempt to reach out to him was stopped, and instead, she stood there while Adam pressed. "I don't care how many lives we have to take. If it means the Faunus finally gets the respect we deserve, then that's what I'll do."
"You don't mean that." Adam scoffed at that, passing Blake with a deep scowl. "You think this will help the Faunus? Making us all out to be murdering psychopaths?"
Pausing in his step, he spun around to face her and hissed. "They already think we are!"
"Then we don't validate their ideas! How is running around killing people and robbing their things going to stop their hatred of us?"
"They'll think twice before pushing us down in the mud! They'll think twice before running our people out of town, for hunting us down like dogs!" Each word was punctuated with Adam taking a step closer to Blake. "They will see our retribution and see that we won't stand idly by and let them hurt us any longer!"
"This isn't the way. We can't take our suffering and force it onto others."
Anger bubbled at her words. The way she refused to see what the White Fang was doing, how she painted their brothers and sister, how she painted him, as thugs and wild animals. The rage was uncontrollable, and with no way out, Adam allowed it to fester as he finally snapped. "And what suffering have you gone through?! You've lived in a mansion in Menagerie your entire life, you have no idea what our people have gone through!"
His harsh words struck deeply. Taken aback, Blake had no retort to what he said, rather standing there with her ears flat against her head. He couldn't help but feel horrible when he saw how vulnerable she looked.
Reaching out, he flinched when she slapped his hand away. It wasn't that hard, more like a tap than a solid blow, but the hurt and anger in her eyes were more than enough to get to him.
"I left home because I wanted to help the Faunus. You don't get to throw that back in my face." She spat. "We both left Mom and Dad to stay here, but lately it feels like we made a mistake."
"What'd you mean?"
"Look at what we're doing." Blake passed him, beckoning him to follow as they both approached the tent door.
Lifting the tent flap, the darkness outside was all someone could see. However, to the two Faunus standing there, figures in the dark could be seen moving around. Members gathering together, whispers and laughs echoing from the shadows.
From beside him, he heard Blake whisper. "These people are trying their best, but they're becoming the thing all Faunus are painted as. We're killers, Adam, and I can't help but feel horrible that Dad's vision has been turned to this."
"Ghira's vision died when he left us all here."
"He didn't have a choice." She countered, no longer holding any anger in her voice.
That didn't mean Adam's vanished. Still holding on to that bitterness, he turned around and went back into the tent, sitting down on his bed while Blake closed the tent flap. "Ghira was a coward. He knew everyone in the White Fang didn't like his methods and ran rather than fight for what he believed in."
"Dad was outnumbered. He can't be a leader if no one wants to follow him."
"No one wanted to follow him because he was a pushover." She scowled at that, unable to defend her missing father when Adam added. "Even that day, when humans had us surrounded… he didn't fight back."
Memories of that day came flooding back. He would never forget the sound of gunshots, how the humans spat vile things at them, and all that came out as he quickly muttered. "Even when the shot at us, when they still didn't fight back. He almost died that day, and when I saved him… he looked at me like I was a monster."
"Dad loved you."
"No. Not after that day he didn't." Adam paused for a moment, staring down at his hands. "You weren't there, Blake. You didn't have to see him almost die."
Unable to take his gaze off his hands, he could almost feel the warm blood seeping through his gloves, sticking the fabric to his skin. With the silence between them heavy, he didn't say anything as he noticed Blake kneeling in front of him. Smaller hands wrapped around his own. Holding on, he said nothing as she begged him. "We can still help the Faunus without the White Fang. This isn't the way to do it."
For a moment, her offer sounded tempting.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't tired as well from the fighting. Constantly moving, taking people's lives and their livelihoods. It had an impact on one's soul and mind that couldn't be explained or erased.
But as quickly he contemplated, it was snatched away with a new voice disrupting them. "Blake. Adam."
Gruff and deep, both of them recognised that voice and immediately got to their feet. Eyes locked on the newcomer, neither of the younger members saying anything while he stood at the tent flap. Giant and burly, towering over even Adam, they couldn't see his face from behind the mask all White Fang members wore, the stark white thing covering the entirety of his face with the red markings copying those on Adam and Blake's.
Donned in the uniform, they were supposed to feel relaxed. Safe amongst one of their brothers. But they didn't. Rather, they felt fear and apprehension around him, neither making a move until he spoke again. "Leader Naga wants to speak to you. Both of you."
"What'd she want with us?" Blake piped up.
"I don't know. She wouldn't say, I didn't ask, so I wouldn't keep her waiting." Without another word, he turned and left them alone.
Even before the tent flap could fall completely, Adam turned and kneeled by his bed, pulling out a small, black box while Blake watched him. Feeling her narrow eyes peering over his shoulder, he listened while she sighed. "What'd you think she wants from us now?"
"I dunno. But Banesaw's right, we don't wanna keep her waiting." He pressed.
Blake didn't argue with that. With her moving away from him, Adam opened the box and gazed inside, looking over the few possessions he had before picking up the thing he was looking for. His White Fang mask.
Running a thumb over the painted woodwork, he took a moment to look over the worn surface with all the knicks and scratches from years of use. Ever since Ghira and Sienna took over, they had been wearing masks to hide their identity, including Blake and Adam. Yet there was a different reason for him. Slipping it on, he turned around and caught a glimpse from the small hand mirror that Blake had on her bed.
The upper part of his face was completely covered. Rather than his narrow eyes, all that anyone could see were four slits that he peered out of, hiding away the scar burned into his flesh. No longer arguing with Blake, any distraction he might have had slipped away and the pain returned.
Unable to take it, he turned and spotted the bottle that Blake had left on his bed. Without thinking twice, he swiped it, popped the cap off, and downed some of the pills from it. It wouldn't take away all of it, but it was enough. He hoped it was enough.
From behind him, he heard Blake call out to him. "You coming?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Finally, the two slipped out of the tent. The camp around them was quiet. With dark skies above them, many had fallen asleep, trying to catch what rest they could before dawn arrived and a new day pulled them out of their dreams. While many rested in closed-off tents, Adam and Blake sneaked past. Unwilling to wake anyone up, they moved through like shadows, neither one of them talking to each other until they crossed the entire camp towards their leader's tent.
It wasn't hard to miss. The biggest of them all, two guards were posted outside the entranceway at all hours, armed and ready to attack at the slightest sniff of trouble. Neither of them paid attention to the young members as they passed by.
Surprisingly, a twist in Adam's gut returned when he raised his hand to open the tent flap. He didn't understand why. There was no fear or apprehension between him and their leader, and yet when faced with the idea of facing her, knowing what he and Blake were just arguing about, he worried that Banesaw somehow overheard and relayed all of it back to Kaanchana. That carried with him even when he went through into the main tent.
Inside was certainly grander than what the other White Fang members had. A huge space with lanterns scattered around, bathing the whole tent in a warm glow that was almost homely. With a bed in the corner and a giant oak table near the back, all that Adam and Blake could see was Banesaw hovering over it, conversing quietly with a woman beside him.
As tall as Adam, with broad shoulders and toned arms that pushed against the top of the table, she was garbed in a unique style of the uniform. Long legs are hidden under a scarlet red sari, her blacktop stopping just above her navel to reveal dark scales on her tanned skin, she finally turned to the newcomers. While her emerald eyes softened upon seeing them, the black sclera gave her an inhumane appearance. All of her gave a reptilian look, and though Adam would never admit it to her, he hated the way her headdress stared at him.
Shining gold contrasted with jet black hair rivalling Blake's. The front of it engulfed her face like a snake's mouth, fanged tips on either side of her head with its jaws running along her jawline. With some of her black hair wrapped between the two jaws, it was firmly secured to her head with purple jewels set deep in its sockets, twinkling in the low lamplight.
"Ah, you're here." She spoke, her voice soft and velvet with a motherly tone, like she was welcoming her children.
With Blake slightly in front of him, Adam could see her glance over at him, waiting for him to do something while they stood there awkwardly. Taking the lead, he walked over to the war table, stopping only a foot or so away from the woman. "You wanted to see us, Leader Naga?"
"I did. Iya and her scouts had sent word that a train belonging to the SDC is passing through just off to the east." Gesturing to the map, she moved to the side to allow Adam a better view. "It'll be carrying Dust, more than any that we've claimed these past few months, so you and Blake will intercept it."
The entire map of Vale was there. Pins poking through the worn paper, he could see the trail their branch had left. So many settlements, from the top near the island of Patch to the capital of Vale itself. Following Kaanchana's finger, he could see the mountains to the east of their camp.
From behind him, Blake piped up. "A Dust train that big will have serious protection."
"And it does. The Schnee family is many things, but they're not idiots. After everything we threw back at them, it was only a matter of time before they pulled out the big guns." Passing Adam, she grabbed something from Banesaw and dropped it onto the table, knocking up some dust that blew right into Adam's face.
Waving it away, he coughed softly while she revealed. "Atlas has been developing some new tech. Not only robotic soldiers to replace their own, but war machines."
"Why would they make such things if the kingdoms are at peace with each other?" Blake asked, joining Adam's side as they looked over the files that Kaanchana had dropped.
"It seems that the kingdoms aren't as peaceful as they'd like us to believe." The older woman pointed out.
All the mechanical jargon on it made Adam's head spin. Documents and printed plans detailing the construction of Atlas robotics, and when he skimmed through a particular Spider Android, Blake chimed in. "Where did you get these?"
"That is none of your business. Your orders are to go to the drop off point and intercept the train, not wonder where we get our intel from." Banesaw snapped, sticking to the background with his arms crossed.
"Peace, Banesaw." Kaanchana jumped in. Hand up in a calming motion, she turned her head towards the sceptical girl. "Blake is a valued member of our order. She knows what we have to do, something that even her parents don't see."
The mention of her parents made Blake bristle up, her ears pushed back flat in his thick hair as she glanced down at the floor. Approaching her, Kaanchana placed a hand on the teenage girl's shoulder, a soft gesture to those watching on. Yet Blake looked as uncomfortable as ever.
"I understand your scepticism about what we're doing, Blake, but all I ask is that you trust us to do what's right for the Faunus. Can you do that?"
"I…" For a moment, Adam and Blake's eyes met, and he could see all the doubt and confusion in them. After a moment, she pushed it down and backed away. "I don't know if what we're doing is right. All those people, how can you justify what you've done?"
The rejection of her olive branch didn't sit well with the leader. Eyes narrowing, she allowed her hand to fall back in front of her, holding together while she coldly replied. "We all have to make sacrifices in war. This is no place for childish ideals."
"We're going into war because you keep pushing the humans! Does the High Leader even know about any of this?!"
The shouting made things worse. Seeing Banesaw bristle up in anger, the way his clawed fingers dug into the thick muscles of his arm, it had nowhere near an impact on Adam as Kaanchana's fury did. It wasn't a big show of rage. Instead, it was ice cold. All warmth and familiarity between them were gone, and being stuck in the room with them made Adam want to do anything to stop it.
Before anyone could say anything, he snapped.
"Blake!" The sound of Adam's voice caused everything to fall silent. All eyes on him, he could feel them weigh heavily on him, unable to even look at Kaanchana as he focused entirely on Blake. "Enough."
The look on her face said it all. Eyes widened, she seemed so betrayed that he would side against her, but any protest he thought she would give never came. Rather, she stood there quietly. She wouldn't even look at him when Kaanchana turned away.
"You have the coordinates to the meeting point. According to Iya, the train will pass through at dawn, so you both will leave immediately if we want to intercept it on time." She explained, her back to both of them as she waved them away. "Go."
Blake wasted no time in doing so. Turning around, she stormed out of the tent without saying anything, the heavy fabric doors swaying even after she left. Yet when Adam made a move to follow after her, Kaanchana quickly stopped him with an order. "Wait."
He obeyed. Standing there quietly, he listened as his leader straightened up and turned her head to him, walking over to the corner of the tent where different sacks and possessions lay abandoned. "I have another mission for you."
"Me? Why?"
"Because I can only trust you." Picking up a particularly large bag, she made her way over to where he was standing. "I had hoped Blake would understand why we do the things we do, but I was wrong. Life in Menagerie under Ghira's protection has left her incapable of truly understanding our plight."
"She… She does give her best for the Faunus."
"But you agree with me, don't you? You and I know what it's like out there, having to do whatever it takes to survive. You have the strength that so few have, and that's why I need you to do this for me." With that, she passed the bag to him.
Peering inside, Adam was taken aback by what was inside. "Leader Naga, this-!"
"This is our secret. I cannot allow anyone to interfere with my plans, and I know you will do what needs to be done."
"I… don't know." For the first time, Adam was unsure of what he should do. What was being asked of him, he knew that Blake would never agree, and more so, he knew that deep down he didn't agree either.
"Don't you want to get back at the SDC for what they've done to you? To so many others?" Kaanchana's voice turned soft, that motherly person coming back to put his fears to rest. "We have the power to fight back. You don't have to be that scared little boy anymore."
She was right. He held the power in his hands to bring the SDC down a peg, to teach them a lesson and empower not only the Faunus hurt by the company, but himself too. This was his moment. He had to take it.
Clutching onto the bag, he kept it close and nodded. "I won't let you down."
Eyes beaming with pride, she replied. "I know you won't."
Finally, she guided him out of the tent. As soon as he was outside, she silently nodded to him and disappeared back into her tent, letting the flaps fall shut behind her. Alone with just her guards, Adam took a moment to glance back, thinking deeply about what had just happened before pushing it to the back of his mind. He had a mission to do.
Emboldened by the trust she had placed in him, Adam looped one arm through the bag handles and let it hang off his shoulder, keeping it close as he started walking out the camp to the meeting point.
It wasn't until he reached the edge of the camp that a figure appeared beside him. As if it was made of shadows, the creepy mirage moved towards him, only for the light of the moon dipping behind the trees to illuminate it. Pale skin and glittering eyes, it was Blake who had approached him, and she did not look happy.
"What's that?" She asked, focusing immediately on the bag that was hanging off his shoulder.
Glancing down at it, Adam kept a neutral face as he answered quickly. "Provisions. Iya is supposed to be near the rendezvous point, and her group is running low on supplies."
For a moment, it seemed that Blake was suspicious of something, eyeing up Adam and the bag with an unreadable expression on her face. It was difficult even making her out with the scarf she usually wore covering her head, keeping her cat ears hidden and her face cast in shadows.
Thankfully, she backed down with a sigh. "Okay. If you say so."
"Come on. It's a long walk to the point, and we don't have much time before dawn."
Together, the two disappeared into the forest surrounding the campsite. With it behind them, most of the journey was spent in silence, neither wanting to talk about the conversation back in the tent. It was a gift. Finally getting away allowed Adam's nerves to settle, and Kaanchana placing her trust in him for something this important made him feel better. It almost felt like she was truly contributing to their cause.
But whenever he glanced over at Blake, he could feel that conflict slipping back. She didn't show anything on what little of her face he could see, but the way she walked so far away from him, no longer sparing even a single glance his way, he could practically feel the tension between them. Walking ahead of him, she didn't notice the times he stared at her back. Even when she glanced back to check up on him, Adam glanced away, staring at the ground or the trees that slowly passed them by.
Stars twinkled brightly above them. Small lights, they were nothing compared to the shattered moon that drifted high in the skies. Pale white fragments broken off, it was almost like fine dust floating around the moon, never able to escape its pull.
When their feet ached and each step felt heavy, the two Faunus reached an opening in the dense forests. Slipping out from the cover of the trees, Adam stared at the view ahead. It was almost breathtaking. The way the dark mountains blended into the navy blue skies, how the usually red trees looked like a blanket of shadows, it all seemed like a painting that one could step into, and Adam took it all in as he approached the cliff edge they were standing on.
Holding onto the bag, he overheard Blake calling to him. "I thought Iya and the others were meeting us here?"
"They're likely out gathering we'll be here soon."
She fell quiet. Adam thought that was the end of that, but he was wrong when Blake piped up again. "What did you and Kaanchana talk about after I left?"
"Nothing. It's not important."
"Which is it?" With an annoyed sigh, he turned around to see that Blake had perched herself on top of a huge boulder, staring down at him with a deep frown. "Is it nothing, or is it not important?"
"It was nothing. Stop concerning yourself with everything."
Quietly, Blake jumped down from the rock, approaching Adam with open arms and a desperate tone to her voice. "Adam, talk to me. Can't you see that what Kaanchana wants might not be what's best for you?"
"And what'd you know what's best for me? Leader Naga understands what I've been through. She cares about me, about all of us. If it wasn't for her, we would have nowhere to go after your parents abandoned us!"
"They were your parents too! Adam, this isn't you talking about! She's getting into your head, making you turn against us!" Suddenly, Blake grabbed hold of his hand. "Think about what you're doing."
With a snarl curling his lips, Adam snatched away his hand and shot back venomously. "You really wanna know what I think? I think you're tired of playing the Faunus hero because it's too hard. You're too afraid to do what needs to be done, so why not run back home to your family?"
"...Because you're all the family I have left."
The confession took him back.
Standing there, he saw Blake's crestfallen face clearly, and with all the anger and confusion and desire for justice washing away, he could see what was in front of him. A scared girl who just wanted her family.
"I said horrible things to them before we left. Things that they will never forgive me for, and I hope they don't." Her voice was barely a whisper as she explained. "I can't go home… but I don't want to stay and watch my brother get killed."
"Blake..." He couldn't find the words to say.
Watching him struggle to admit his faults, Blake simply turned away and walked off to a secluded part of the opening. Adam couldn't even stop her. Rather, he watched her slink away, his saddened expression hidden away by the cover of his mask.
He didn't move from that spot. Almost expecting Blake to come back, he was surprised to feel the warmth on the side of his face, turning to see the first light of dawn creeping over the horizon. The dark colours of night washed away. Instead, blues, greens and yellows illuminated the skies, and all the mountainside was brightened by the sun's warm glow.
In the distance, amongst the sounds of the birds cawing and the wind billowing through the mountains, he could make out the quiet sounds of a train running along the tracks. Rushing to the side, he peered down the valley. There he saw it.
A massive train hurtling down the tracks. Sheets of black metal bolted down, it slithered through the winding tracks that wrapped through the mountains, fast approaching the spot that Adam and Blake were standing. Quickly, he turned to grab Blake before they missed their opportunity, only to see her silently walking behind him.
As she peered down at it, he ordered her. "It's time. Let's go."
"Okay." And with that, the two jumped down the side of the mountain.
Skidding through the fallen leaves and mud, Adam steadied himself, holding onto the hilt of his sword as the pair fast approached the speeding train. For a moment, the fear of missing it gripped him. Yet he didn't sway. Focusing on the target, he leapt off the mountainside, flying through the air before landing roughly on the top of the train.
Rolling uncontrollably, he stabbed the roof with his sword, piercing straight through the metal sheets with the force of his body and the train pulling him backwards. Halting to a stop, he glanced at the gash he left behind before checking on his partner.
Blake had fared better. Copying his actions, she stabbed the roof with her katana, holding the sharpened sheath in her free hand as the two held onto the train. Wind howling in his ears, Adam squinted as the fast winds blew into his face, his red curls waving wildly while he pushed onward. One false move and they'd slip right off the train.
That thought struck home when he glanced over the side of the train and saw the sheer drop into the valley below.
Carefully, he and Blake moved up along the train, trying their best not to slip off to their doom. Soon, he spotted something a few feet in front of them. A hatch. With a way to get inside, the two quickly approached it with Adam holding his sword, watching Blake kneel and attempt to open it. Locked.
Moving out of the way, she stayed kneeling, holding onto whatever she could while Adam sliced at the lock. The quick-strike broke the lock completely. The hatch door swung open, and without wasting time, the Faunus hopped down into the darkness below.
Heavy thuds echoed through the dark space. Shoes hitting solid metal, it took a few moments for Adam to adjust to the pitch-black surroundings, making out some figures standing completely still all around them. Straightening himself out, he glanced around, on edge, and turned slightly behind him where Blake was. "Looks like one of the Dust carriages. Let's-"
He couldn't even finish his sentence before loud whirring buzzed around them.
Glancing around, the figures he noticed before jerked to life. Faceplates replacing any sort of face glowed bright red, the same colour as the warning lights built into the train walls shone, revealing all that was in the room they jumped into. Dozens of soldiers. Not human, but robotic with metal joints creaking and limbs turning into long blades.
Staring at them surrounding the two, Adam tightened the grip on his sword and grumbled. "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way."
"Don't be overdramatic." Blake chided.
Backs backed together, neither the soldiers nor the Faunus made the first move. Armed and ready, Adam waited, looking over at a particular soldier as its robotic voice crackled to life. "Intruders. Identify yourselves."
Silence. Taking a step from Blake, Adam pressed the trigger on his sheath.
A loud bang vibrated through the carriage. Instantly, the sheathed sword shot out at incredible speeds, the butt of his hilt slamming right in the soldier's face. Head snapping back from the recoil, it couldn't recover as he rushed forward, grabbing the sword before it could even hit the ground. Slice. Two quick slashes, and when he sheathed his sword again, the robot was left in three different pieces scattered on the floor.
For a brief moment, no one made a sound.
Then they struck.
Despite outnumbering the intruders, the soldiers were nowhere near as skilled as they were. While deflecting and slashing, Adam had lost track of Blake, only able to see red masks around him through the small slits. There were so many around them.
Pulling his sheath out of its hold on his belt, he aimed and fired, shooting one of the unfortunate soldiers in the face while deflecting another's swipe. The strength behind the blows was unreal. Muscles in his dominant arm ached, but with a swift movement to the side, the sword chipping into his own slid right off. The force sent the soldier off balance, and they were quick to be eradicated with Adam shoving his weapon through its abdomen.
Unrelentless more ran for him.
Quickly, he kicked the metal body off his sword and into one of the robots in front of him. Swings were deflected, opponents danced around, and with the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Adam felt alive at that moment. A chance for him to fall did not scare him. Rather, he was welcoming to it, and he would take as many down as he could before they would bring him down.
It was almost cathartic when he saw SDC property being destroyed and ruined by him. Scrap metal and exposed wires littered around him, and finally, he noticed Blake amongst the carnage.
Clutching both of her weapons, she dual-wielded them with precision and skill. Any time the soldiers tried to hit her, she left behind a shadow, something that took the hit before she returned it in kind. Using it to launch herself into the air, she twirled around with her weapon slicing through any soldier close enough. Pieces scattered around her. Yet she didn't pause, running forward towards one.
Stabbing forward, its weapon met nothing but air as she slid underneath it, slicing its legs in two before bringing her sword up in one swift movement. The severed head fell and rolled across the floor. All light in its mask flickered out, and all life disappeared as the empty husk collapsed to the ground.
With a small smirk, Blake managed to return to Adam's side. Together, they made short work of those standing against them.
Suddenly, guns firing loudly blared in Adam's ears. He didn't think. Any bullets fired at them were deflected, each hit firing up that flame inside him. The power was growing stronger. Keeping it contained, Adam sheathed his weapon, ready to retaliate when Blake ran ahead.
Quick and nimble, she fared better in deflecting the bullets fired and reached the armed soldier in no time. Dissecting it in two, she used the momentum to launch a continuous assault against those that surrounded the original target. Everyone around her ended up destroyed. Bits and pieces bouncing across the floor as she jumped on top of one, using her weight to send it falling to the ground with her foot planted in its face.
Flipping off, she weaved through the rest. With Adam providing cover from the back, the two made their way to a door, likely one leading to the rest of the train. The only thing between them and their mission was another one of the soldiers, ready to fire.
With a shout, Blake backflipped with her foot lodged into the unfortunate robot, sending it flying up into the air. Taking the chance, Adam moved quickly, and with a harsh kick, he watched the tin can be thrown through the door leading to another carriage.
Daylight beamed in. Before they could even get out, the roaring winds blew right through the carriage, chilling Adam to the bone as he pushed forward.
An open platform waited for them. The sun now shining over the horizon, a blur of red trees flew past with the train hurtling along. None of the human crew waited for them. Rather, more and more of the robotic soldiers approached them with weapons drawn, thundering towards them. With only a glance between them and no words uttered, both Adam and Blake rushed forward to meet their enemies.
Hand on the hilt, Adam reached the first two soldiers and slashed upwards, sending them upwards into the path of his companion. Jumping up, Blake hit them numerous times with the force pushing them back down to the ground. Defenceless, they were thrown aside by a harsh blow as the Faunus continued. Rushing ahead of Blake, Adam continued his assault on his opponents.
All of a sudden, he moved in time as Blake's weapon whizzed past him. The black ribbon attached to its hilt caught his eye. One swift pull and the gun component of the sword fired, sending it right back to its owner. Decapitating one of the soldiers, he turned to see Blake handling herself. Whirling her weapon around, she used the ribbon to swing it all around her, reaching soldiers that were far out of her reach. Every move she made was calculated, precise, but he couldn't focus on her for long as he was dragged back into the fight.
Rushing through numerous soldiers, he sliced through them all in quick succession. Only when he sheathed his sword again did they collapse in pieces.
Adrenaline could only take him so far. Thinning out the numbers, he could feel the tiredness setting in. Yet he couldn't stop. When he turned around, he saw a robot flying straight to him and turned his back with his sword slicing behind him. With the weight of the robot recoiling from the blow, firing his rifle pointing behind him, he could hear the metal shredding with the bullet piercing through it.
A heavy thud and he turned to find it lifeless on the ground. None were left standing as he sheathed his sword.
As Blake rejoined with him, Adam pointed towards the carriage they infiltrated in and instructed her. "Check all the carriages. I'll take the rest."
"What about backup? You shouldn't go alone."
"It'll be faster if we split up. Besides," he turned back to the carriage ahead of them. "I think we can handle a bunch of nuts and bolts if this is all they have to offer."
She didn't say anything to that. Pausing for a moment, it seemed like she was ready to argue against it, but she didn't. Rather, she took a step back and muttered. "Be careful."
"You too."
Farewells said the two went their separate ways.
Blake's worried words stuck with him. He didn't share them, he knew that they could handle themselves, otherwise, they wouldn't have been trusted with this important mission. The bag felt heavy on his back as he entered the next train carriage. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. Finding the room empty of guards, he passed through the stacked containers, glossing over the symbols printed on them.
A snowflake. Stark white contrasting the black of the containers, Adam paused in front of a lonely one pressed against the wall.
Lifting the lid, he squinted as the faint glow radiated from inside. Crystals. All lined up meticulously and grouped in types, he didn't dare touch them in fear of agitating any of them. Instead, he closed the lid again and finally dropped the bag on the floor next to him. Even with the weight off his shoulder, he didn't feel any lighter. The way his gut constricted when he peeked inside made him frown.
Sighing quietly, he took out the contraption and moved towards the door leading to the next carriage. The deathly silence around him didn't feel right. Even when he attached it to the door and activated it, there was something in the air that set him on edge. Hairs stood on the back of his neck. Something wasn't right.
Metal legs dropping around him, the quiet buzzing turned into full mechanical whirring loud in his ears. Before he could be crushed by whatever was about to drop on top of him, Adam jumped backwards, rolling a few times before landing on his feet.
When he looked up, what greeted him was nothing like he saw before. A Spider of metal and steel. Legs thicker than his entire body moved independently, deep-set red veins running along its body up to its core, where four giant guns pointed all at him. Pulsing white light suddenly built up. He had to move.
Blasts rang in his ears as he ran to the side, rolling behind one of the containers as the droid kept firing. Covering his face as debris flew past him, he waited for the right moment to move, watching the blasts wildly fire as the droid tried to locate him. Thankfully, it avoided the crates around them, and for good reason. One misplaced shot and the Dust would take both it and Adam out.
Finally, a moment of reprise. Adam took his chance.
Rushing out from his hiding spot, he dodged and weaved through the shots until he reached the droid itself. Jumping up high, he came face to face with it, seeing the same plate reinforced face that all the other robots had. No matter how many times he slashed at it, his sword did little damage to its impervious skin.
When he landed, all he could see was one of its four legs going straight towards him. He couldn't move in time. Bracing, he felt the full force of the solid metal leg hit him. He didn't even know how far he went backwards.
Everything hurt. Landing on his side, he felt it through his entire body with his teeth gritting together. Once he stopped rolling, he took a moment to catch the breath that had been knocked out of his lungs. There was no time to recover. Even with him defenceless on the ground, it reared its guns once more, ready to dispose of the threat.
Managing to get to his knees, he grabbed his sword just as the spider droid fired.
Everything went black. Only for a moment, he could feel nothing, but then the harsh pain in his back brought him back to reality.
The sheer force of the blow had sent him flying out of the carriage the two were fighting. When he slammed into the metal platform he was previously on, a cry of pain managed to escape his throat, with his bruised body skidding to a stop. The pain was unreal. Even with his Aura still up, holding on despite the assault Adam was put through, he could feel the thudding agony radiate from every part of himself.
Slowly, he rolled to his side and gasped. All the air he had managed to get into his lungs had been pushed out at once. Breathless, in pain, and barely able to catch a moment to recover, he laid there and looked up at the gaping hole in the side of the carriage. There, the legs of the spider droid materialized out of the darkness. Pulling itself out, it stretched upwards, practically towering over the Faunus. The fight was not yet over.
Trying to get back to his feet, he struggled and could only manage to get to his knees. All the muscles in his arms and legs screamed out in pain. The exertion was too much. But the droid didn't give him any time to recover as it made a beeline straight for him.
He thought he was dead to rights.
A shout caught his attention, and before the droid could focus on it, none other than Blake jumped into the fray. Rushing for it, she left a shadow clone behind as it tried to fire. Explosions around her didn't deter the teenage girl. Seeing her throw herself past it, swinging herself upwards into the skies while her sword was embedded in its abdomen, Adam pushed himself to get back to his feet while he still had the chance.
The arrival of Blake left the doors confused. Unable to focus on the nimble fighter, it was hacked and slashed at, Blake dashing around its legs as it tried to step on her.
Leaving behind clones, she weaved around its attacks. Quickly, she hopped up on one of its legs and jumped up to where its head was, driving her sword through it before letting a few rounds go off into the metalwork. Before it could try and get her off, Blake pulled her sword out and backflipped away, rejoining Adam's side with him finally standing.
Her attacks didn't stun it for long. Recovering quickly, its guns spun around as more components jutted out from the main metalwork. Combining with the smaller, original guns, they formed huge cannons, and they were pointed right at the two.
Grabbing his sword and sheath in both hands, Adam ran in front of Blake without a second thought. "Move!"
Blue and white light fired straight at him. Heart skipping a beat, he pulled his sword slightly out of the sheath and took the full brunt of the shot. The continuous beam was powerful, nearly knocking him off his feet again, but he pushed against it. Hot embers flickered past his face, nearly burning his skin with the force straining all of him.
Yet deep in the exertion, he felt that flame burn wildly. All the power from the beam was being absorbed into his sword, the red metal flaring crimson with the overload of energy flowing into it, and in extension, Adam himself.
Finally, the beam relented. Sheathing the sword again, he could feel all the power flowing through him, like electricity flowing through his very being, and all the red on his being shone as brightly as the sun. Black lightning crackling around his feet, he felt none of that fear before. He felt empowered. And that confidence bled through as he chuckled deeply to himself.
Seeing the droid lose its vivid red markings spurred him on, and when it jumped at him again, Adam struck first.
In one swift blow, he unleashed all the energy through his sword, and the world around him faded to red. Metal and bolts faded away to withered petals, and nothing was left behind save the black dust drifting off in the wind.
With all that energy released, Adam felt the exhaustion hit him full force, and with a brief stumble, he was caught by Blake. She struggled to keep him from hitting the floor with his sheer weight outclassing hers. Still, she managed to keep him upright. "Hey, hey. I got you."
"Blake," he started, turning his head to look at her. "Didn't think you'd come in when you did."
"I guess you were right. The rest of the guards were pushovers."
That managed to get a small chuckle from him. Straightening himself out, he pulled himself from Blake's hold, turning to see her looking down the side of the train from the platform edge.
"I can see the front of the train! We can get past this carriage and detach the rest of the train holding the Dust!" She explained, moving towards the carriage that Adam was just in. "We gotta hurry! They'll reach the next train station soon!"
She was right. Determined to finish the mission, she made for the hole leading into the carriage, but Adam intercepted her.
Grabbing hold of her by the upper arm, he pulled her back while she protested. "Adam, what're you doing?"
He didn't answer. Passing by, he ignored her again.
"Adam?" There was a growing concern in her voice.
At the gap between the two carriages, Adam looked down to see the tracks below. There, he saw the coupling link that attached the train, the solid metal coated in the same black colour that the rest of the locomotive was.
It had to be done. Without giving it another thought, he grabbed the hilt and struck at the coupling link. The blow forced the link to split, detaching the train from the carriages he and Blake were on. With no engine pulling it, the carriages started to slow down, and with the rest of the train leaving them behind, Adam stood there while Blake moved to his side.
"Why'd you do that? There was still a whole caboose of Dust left."
"I know. A whole caboose full of highly agitated Dust." He corrected.
Voice cold and detached, he could see the series of thoughts going through Blake's head. Her eyes darting around, she looked over Adam's body, finally settling on his shoulders as she glanced behind him. Something was missing.
"Adam… where's the bag?"
No response to her question. Rather, he glanced back at the train, seeing the distance between them and it grow further apart.
His silence was just as damning as an answer, and with his hand fishing into his pocket, Blake carried on interrogating him. "The bag wasn't full of provisions, was it? Kaanchana asked you to do something. Something she and you didn't want me to know."
"We're going to send the SDC a message." He replied, pulling out a small object from his pocket. "With this."
"No." Blake's eyes widened at the sight of it. Shaking her head, she looked back at the retreating train, and then to Adam. "Adam, no! Don't do this!"
"I have to. The White Fang has been too timid for too long. If we want to win this war, we have to strike the first blow."
A hand grabbed onto his tunic. Fabric bunching in her fist, Blake pulled him to face her with anger in her eyes. "Listen to yourself, you sound exactly like Kaanchana! What about the crew on board?!"
"What about them?"
"They'll die! They're innocent people doing their job, they're not the people who scarred you!"
Anger bubbled up to the surface instantly. Teeth bared in a snarl, Adam grabbed Blake's wrist and threw her away from him, watching her clutch her wrist in pain as he snapped. "They're all guilty! Every last one who works for the SDC has blood on their hands, and I will make them all pay!"
With his back to her, Adam held up the detonator with Blake screaming in horror. "No!"
Too late.
An explosion echoed through the mountainsides. Rumbling the earth, the sound and vibrations sent all living creatures for miles fleeing in terror. Birds cawed as they took off from the trees. Listening to their calls, Adam said nothing as he saw black smoke billowing up into the skies in the distance.
For a moment, he felt elevated. He had done it. He had completed the mission. The train was destroyed, the Dust stolen, and the SDC would pay for what they had done to him and his people. With a faint smile on his face, he turned to look at Blake. But there was none of that contentment on her. There was only devastation and horror. The way those familiar eyes stared at him with horror and fear felt like it was happening all over again. He could recall them before, and that same feeling of guilt and shame came back.
"You…" She backed away. "You killed them!"
"Blak-" A rough slap across the face silenced him.
The force behind the blow sent his mask flying to the ground. Clattering across the platform, his face was exposed for all to see, and the shock in his eyes was too much for him to hide. Still, when he got a good look at Blake's face, he was more shocked to see tears pricking in the corners of her eyes.
Taking another step away from him, she shook her head softly and muttered. "Don't ever talk to me again."
"Wait." He begged, reaching out to her. She didn't let him anywhere near her, turning on her heel and running off from him. "Blake, wait!"
His pleas fell on deaf ears. Jumping on top of the carriage, she didn't even spare him one last glance before she disappeared. Adam tried to follow after her, unable to leave the argument there, but the effects of the fight before had left him weak and with hardly any Aura left.
Sharp pain in his ribs stopped him, causing him to lean against the railing for support. All he could do was pitifully look up to where Blake was. He couldn't understand. The mission had to be done, he couldn't let their leader down, but the way Blake looked at him like he was was how Ghira saw him that fateful day.
The confusion led to anger, and Adam just shouted. "I did it for us!"
No response. After moments of silence, secretly hoping Blake would come back, Adam muttered in defeat. "I did it for us…"
"Sure you did." That wasn't Blake's voice.
Looking up in the direction of the voice, Adam spotted someone new perched on the top of the carriage. The sight of their White Fang uniform calmed him, but not much when he saw exactly who it was.
"Iya." He grumbled.
"Sup, kiddo. You had a good day out?" Iya joked, squatting down with her arms resting on top of her knees. Even from where he was standing, he could see the sunlight reflect off the metal prosthetics that replaced all flesh and bone of her legs.
Standing tall, he watched as she jumped down from her spot. Any heavy landing was mitigated with a flap of her giant wings, the black-tipped brown feathers dull in the sun. Approaching him, her wings spread out, stretching far past her arm span and making her seem bigger than she truly was. The metal of her prosthetics clinked on the platform.
Keeping an eye on her, he slunk past her, never once taking his sights off her while she continued. "You know, I told Kaa not to give you this mission. Thought you woulda wussed out or Princess would appeal to your good side."
Clasping her hands together, she continued in a squeaky voice. "'Adam, please stop killing the humans. Killing is wrong and we should just hold the Human's hand and sing songs with them!'"
"Do you have a point here?" He shot back harshly.
"Snappy." Rolling her shoulder, Iya looked in the direction of the black smoke. "I can admit when I'm wrong! You did a number on that train."
"I killed them."
"You sure did, kiddo."
She clasped a hand on his shoulder, ignoring Adam's headed glares. "Listen, you can't go around feeling bad for everything you do. I mean, look at me. I never feel bad."
"I don't think you know how to feel bad."
"Ohhh." She whispered in an amused tone, letting go of Adam's shoulder as she leaned forward like she was talking to a child rather than him. "I get what this is. Poor Adam has made his little sister unhappy so now he's gonna sulk. You know, you gotta lighten up! Keep going like this and you'll end up like Banesaw. Sad and boring."
"What are you even doing here, Iya?"
"I am here, Adam, to make sure you didn't chicken out of the mission. And congrats, you didn't!" Gesturing up to the skies, her larger than life attitude did little to help Adam's mood. "The rest of the scouts are already making their way back to camp. Soon our little goons will be here, and allllllll this Dust is ours."
Returning to his side, she pulled Adam beside her, wrapping an arm around his shoulder while she carried on. "Now I'm a reasonable person. So, here's what I'm gonna do. I'll toss in a good word to the big boss for you, and as a treat, I'll rip Blake's innards out and scatter them amongst the trees."
"What?!" His horror was apparent as Adam pulled himself from Iya's grasp. "What're you talking about?!"
Rather than shock or anger, Iya looked positively bored. "Blake's gone rogue, Adam. Kaa suspected it for a while now. The way she's been acting lately, I was ready to take her little kitten ass and drop her against the rocks down there."
She pointed down the side of the mountain to the valley below.
"But the old boss lady in Mistral's always watching. Can't exactly get away with killing the last leader's daughter and get away with it. I ain't that ready to die yet." She shrugged. "Now? Kaanchana will see Blake objecting to our plans, and we get to silence her."
"Shut your fucking mouth." Adam's guttural growl got some reaction out of Iya.
Violet eyes staring straight into his, for a moment, he thought she would turn violent against him. But what she did next wasn't what he expected.
"Yes!" She shouted, pointing at him with her slender finger. "That's the fire I was expecting! Honestly, you gotta get away from your family from time to time. This kind of Adam is way more fun to talk to."
"You think this is a joke? You know what, I don't care what you think! I know Blake, and I know that she ain't a traitor!"
"Hmmmmm, and yet you're here, and she's running off to whoever knows." Iya pointed out.
Taken aback by her words, that doubt and guilt came back. Adam couldn't even look at the other White Fang member. Rather, he stared off to the side. "She just needs some time away from all this to think. I don't blame her."
"You want my advice?"
"Not really."
"Rude fucker." She grumbled. As she passed by him, she pulled the helmet that was fastened tightly to her head, similar to those that the Atlesian pilots wore.
Sculpted white metal fit forming around the head, her own had a visor that shuttered down in the form of a beak, though what it looked like inside was unknown to Adam. Without it on, her messily chopped, purple-tinted hair was exposed, some of the longer bangs falling in the space between her eyes.
Holding it in her hands, she stopped a few feet away from him and turned slightly, looking over her shoulder as she added. "You gotta stop valuing yourself on what people think. The way I see it, blowing up that oversized tin can was the real you."
"You don't even know me."
"Wrongo." She wagged her finger. "I know exactly who you are. The dude who sent those poor souls to their maker is the real Adam. The crazy fucker who kicks ass and makes the Humans piss themselves. Embrace it!"
"You're deluded."
"Hmmmm, noo, I prefer to think of myself as enlightened. At the very least, a visionary."
Adam scoffed at that. Either way, Iya didn't call him out on it, instead of waving him off like he was an annoying little sibling.
"You should get back to Kaanchana. Give your report, get some reward and motherly validation, whatever."
"What're you gonna do?"
"I am gonna sit here and wait for the others to come and get this stuff." Tucking her helmet under her arm, Iya shot a smirk at him. "Want a lift back up the mountain? Don't want you slipping and breaking your spine on the way down."
"Yeah… you really wouldn't want that." Adam shot back sarcastically. "I think I'm good."
"Suit yourself." She brushed off.
Even with her no longer bothering him, what she said had Adam worried. She was lying. She had to be. He knew Blake, and he knew that she would do anything to help the Faunus. Even all the complaints she had were resolved between them. She would abandon their cause.
Would she?
There was only one way to find out. Leaving Iya to watch over the spoils of the fight, he made his way off the train and along the train tracks. Wood and metal under his feet did little to deter him. All he could do was focus on what was likely waiting for him ahead. Deep down, he hoped that Iya was wrong, that Blake ran back to camp to have some time to herself. It was expected after what happened. What he did.
That twisting sensation in his gut never left, even when he found a way back up the mountain and into the familiar trees.
Red leaves blew around him as the wind justled the branches. Those that weren't holding on properly were blown off, floating down to the floor to be trodden on and left. Listening to them crunching under his feet, he could see the smoke of the campfire drifting into the clear blue skies. The camp was close. He could recognise the little differences in the trees, the log that had fallen over long before the White Fang branch came to that area, even the scarlet red bushes that surrounded the camp
Finally returning to the camp, the bustling life was a great different compared to what it was like when he and Blake had left. People, awake and ready for the day, moved around the tents and campfires like ants, each having a job to do. Making his way through the campsite, he spared a glance at the main tent.
He should go there and give his report. But he didn't.
There was something he had to do first. With that in mind, Adam left the leader's tent alone and made his way to his own.
The flaps were closed completely when he arrived. A shred of hope sat in his gut, wanting to believe that Blake had closed it and hidden it away in their tent. No doubt she would be angry to see him, but it was something Adam was expecting as he inhaled deeply. Calming down his rapidly beating heart, he raised a hand to the flap and went through without a second to doubt himself.
"Blake?" He called out, looking around the space inside their home.
There was no one there.
Looking around, that realisation started to set in with Adam becoming more desperate. "No. No, no, no."
As he moved to the space between their beds, he felt his foot kick something hard and jumped back, leaning forward to rub at his sore foot. "What the hell was that?"
Gingerly, he glanced down to see what exactly it was that he kicked. There, he found a small box, similar to the one he had that he stored all his possessions in, but it was opened from the movement of his foot hitting it. The few objects inside it laid on the floor. The letters caught his attention.
Scooping them off the ground, Adam sat down on his bed and looked through all the sheets of paper. Most had been scrunched together, crumpled into a ball to be thrown away, and when he smoothed them out, he found the paper stained with ink and something wet, like water. Or tears.
They were letters. He immediately recognised Blake's handwriting, reading through every one of them in hopes of finding something useful.
Most were letters that she wanted to write back to their parents. Some of the earliest were years old when Blake was only twelve, and their parents had left the White Fang and them. There were so many of them. All discarded, they never managed to reach back home before Blake tossed them away. What she must had been feeling was a mystery. Even what she was trying to say in the letters were cryptic and hard to read.
Reading through them all, Adam stopped when he reached the last one. It wasn't addressed to their parents. As he read the name on the top, he was shocked to find his name there instead.
Adam.
I don't know how many times I wrote this now, but I guess this is the best I'm going to do. I've been thinking a lot lately. I guess you have been too, but we never really talk nowadays without it ending in us arguing.
Mom and Dad were right. The White Fang isn't what it used to be. I thought we were doing what was right for our people, that we were actually making a difference, but now we're using the same violence on the people that hurt us in the first place. I don't want to be a part of that anymore. So, I'm leaving.
I wanted you to come with me. You're family too, but now I know that you're too caught up in this new order to even want to leave it. I guess I didn't know you as well as I thought.
I'm sorry.
The letters dropped from his hands.
Drifting down to the floor, they laid there as he sat there silently. Everything felt too much. Thoughts running through his mind, unable to deal with a single one, leaving him staring blankly into space with his chest constricting painfully. He didn't want to believe. Even with the incriminating letters right in front of him, he still didn't want to believe they were real.
Blake was gone. His worst fears had come true and sitting there he felt that same aching loneliness that he felt the day their parents left.
Deep down, though, he couldn't help but feel that tinge of betrayal. All the arguments. Everything Blake said. He saw her words in an entirely new light, and he was angry. Angry and scared at the same time, conflicting emotions swirling in the pit of his stomach to the point where he felt like he was going to be sick. Where would she go? Was she alright?
Why was he so concerned for the welfare of a traitor?
He didn't care. At least, he told himself that. Blake left him just like everyone else. The day had to have come. Deep down, he knew that the arguments would come to a head.
Rapid thoughts distracted him, leaving him shocked when he heard someone pipe up by the tent entrance. "So, she's gone."
Jumping to his feet, Adam stared at Kaanchana, watching as she came into his tent fully. There was no anger in her voice. Rather, she seemed unaffected by it, her voice never rising as she continued. "I suspected as much."
"You knew? For how long?"
"It was never a certainty." She confessed. "I hoped Blake wouldn't have run like Ghira and Hajimu. But, I suppose I was wrong."
Adam said nothing. Glancing down at the letters on the floor, he stood there thinking deeply, trying to figure out what to say. "I did what you asked."
"I know. Scouts came back with the word, you did well." She praised, approaching Adam with a hand reaching up to rest on his shoulder.
A tender gesture. Yet he didn't feel any sort of worth in the praise.
"That's the thing." He started, staring down at the hand. "I don't know if it was right."
"Right?"
"You didn't see how Blake looked at me. I thought blowing up that train would make me happy, and it did, but now I just feel like she was right." Shrugging it off, he walked past her with fists clenched tightly. "I should be happy. We got the Dust, fought back against the SDC, everything should be great!"
"And isn't it?" Kaanchana asked. "Did I not do enough to keep you safe? Did I not help you when everyone else abandoned you?"
"No, I don't mean it like that! It's just… I don't know!" All the conflict came rushing back.
Unable to even look the leader in the eyes, he tried to backpedal quickly. "I know Blake hates all the violence, but I thought she could've been brought around. We're fighting back, right? All that we're doing here will help the Faunus?"
A brief moment of silence had Adam's nerves grow worse. He thought Kaanchana would immediately reassure him, but when she finally replied to his questions, her cold tone was not what he was expecting.
"You're looking for morality in war, Adam. That is the last place you'll find it."
"I just want to know that I'm not losing it." He sighed, running a hand through his tightly curled hair. "Ghira, Mom, Blake… They're all gone."
"Oh, Adam…" Approaching him again, he didn't move as she wrapped arms around him, pulling him into a hug just like a mother comforting her child.
Slowly, he lifted his hands to rest on her back, feeling her sash under his gloved fingers. He didn't know how badly he needed a contact. Someone to simply be there for him, tell him that the thoughts plaguing him weren't true, and if Kaanchana was the one to do it, he accepted her affection.
That was until she whispered to him. "They won't hurt you again."
"What?" He asked, confusion clear in his words.
"We have to uphold the rules." Pulling away, he shuddered at the dullness in those emerald eyes of hers. "No one leaves the White Fang. Sienna gave Ghira a pardon thanks to his service to our cause, but Blake won't be so fortunate."
"No. Sienna wouldn't allow that."
"The High Leader has entrusted me with upholding the branch here in Vale. I intend to do what I have to, regardless of what she allows." Gently, she reached out to him. "I have always protected you, Adam. Please don't throw that back in my face."
"Killing the daughter of our founder won't sit right with anyone here."
"Our soldiers will do as they are told. Give them what they want to hear, and they will treat it as if it was the truth."
His stomach flipped at what she was saying. "There's nothing out there for a Faunus, anyway. We were the only place for her, and she threw us all away. Staying here is the best thing for you, anyway."
"I know." He muttered.
"Don't worry, child." Kaanchana started, moving past him with hands folded in front of her abdomen. "You will do great things here. And I know that you will be the one to help the White Fang make history."
Remaining where he stood, Adam stared at her back as she moved to exit the tent. "Is it the history I wanna make?"
For a moment, she paused. Hand reaching out to lift the tent flap, all he could hear was a soft chuckle before she finished their conversation with a final sentence. "I hope so."
Then, she was gone. Left behind with only the discarded papers and the bitter truth, Adam stared at the space where she just stood, feeling her words dig into his core in a way nothing ever did.
Even the idea of Blake coming to harm hurt him more than he wanted to admit. Any previous attempt to sever his bond to her, trying to deny any familial feelings, disappeared with the truth right in front of him. Traitors had to be disposed of. But he didn't want to see Blake as a traitor, not knowing everything she gave up to help the Faunus. To help him.
The choices were right in front of him.
Knowing what he had to do, he quickly got to packing everything he could. What little he had from his old life was shoved in a duffel bag. It wasn't much, he didn't exactly take much from his childhood home when he joined the White Fang, but he couldn't leave it regardless. Even the letters that Blake spent years writing were taken too.
Something to give back when he found her. Despite not knowing where she had run off too, Adam knew he had to try. The very least he could do was warn her of Kaanchana's plans.
Bag over his shoulder, a brief moment of hesitation hit him. If he were to leave, he too would be labelled a traitor, and the thought of throwing away all he did for the organisation hurt. Maybe Kaanchana was right. The White Fang was the only place where he could be, safe from the people that would judge him on something he couldn't change. The violence got them the respect they deserved.
Dropping the bag, picking it up, dropping it again. It was repetition at that point.
Hesitation weighed his resolve down. What he wanted to do was yanked back by fear, and that fear made him more determined to do whatever he had to so he didn't have to be afraid ever again.
Would Blake do the same thing for him if their roles were reversed? Risk her life and throw away the only family that didn't leave her for someone who willingly left?
Deep down, he knew she would have. Even after running away, he held onto the idea that they were family, although their bonds were no doubt strained after what he did on that train.
So, picking up the bag, Adam slung it over his shoulder and before he could leave, looked down at the White Fang mask left on his bed. It was the only thing he owned that he wasn't sure about taking. Outside the White Fang, that thing represented all their worst actions. The monsters that it was stylised after. Still, a part of him found comfort in the small thing. It was hard to explain to those that didn't understand, but wearing it, he felt like he was part of something bigger.
He wasn't him anymore, and that was a good thing.
Unable to leave it behind, he grabbed the mask and shoved it in, hidden away from those he would no doubt cross paths with. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself to take the first step.
Just one step. Then another. Then another. He kept repeating it, pushing himself to finally move out of the tent and into the sunlight. Bright, burning light that his unprotected eyes were unprepared for, beaming straight onto his face with a hand raising to shield his eyes.
Hardly anyone was around. All disappeared or were busy with their work, they paid no attention to one member walking around the outskirts, trying his best not to draw any unwanted attention. The thought of being caught and questioned made him wanna sprint out, only stopping himself at the last moment. Keep your cool. Act as you belong.
Even when he was on the outskirts of the camp and finally slipped into the forest, he didn't feel safe. Honestly, Adam didn't know when he would truly feel safe again, but he pushed himself to keep walking, hoping to get as far away as he could before he would rest. A town hidden in the mountains was not far if he recalled correctly.
With luck, Blake stopped there to gather her bearings before setting off again. If he was quick, he could find her again.
Up above, he didn't even notice a newcomer perched in the trees. Hidden from his sight, they watched him closely, spying on the Faunus as he moved further and further away from the campsite.
Once he was out of earshot, Iay lifted a finger to the earpiece built into her helmet. "You were right. Adam's runoff."
A static sigh crackled over the line. "So he's abandoned us, too."
"Want me to take him out?" Iya offered, flexing the metal talons that jutted out of her feet. "Not too much cover. I can get him before he reaches the town down the mountains."
"No. Let him go." She groaned in disappointment at that. "He knows the only place for him is with the White Fang. Adam will come home."
"Sounds to me that you're playing favourites. First, you want me to get dear little Blake for ditching, now you're gonna let Adam do the same thing?"
"Iya, stand down. That's an order."
With a deep growl, she clenched her free hand tightly and snapped. "Hnnnn, I still think this is a bad idea. He's gonna run off and warn Princess that we're coming for her."
"Blake already knows what we do to traitors." Banesaw piped up, appearing from behind the tree trunk below.
"He's right." Kaanchana agreed. "Blake knew the price and she is expecting it. Both of you need to be just as smart as she is."
Staring down at Banesaw with a scowl, Iya grumbled. "So I gotta share the target, now?"
"I trust you to play nice." There, the call ended with loud static, causing Iya to recoil before quickly taking her finger off the earpiece.
Huffing, she rested her arms on the top of her knees, squatting on the thick tree branch. "Welp. Time to get started."
"Let's be quick. We gotta reach the town before Adam does." Banesaw ordered, pushing himself off the tree trunk.
"You think she'll be there?" She asked.
"No," Stopping a few steps ahead, he glanced back at the perching bird Faunus. "But I wanna cover all options. We can't guess what she'll do."
"Right, well, have fun walking. 'Cause I sure ain't carrying you." With a stretch of her wings, Iya took off to the skies.
Branches waved in the breeze, and a single brown feather fell to the forest floors below. Watching it drift down, Banesaw said nothing about it, rather turning around and continuing the long walk down the hill.
It was going to be a long search for the missing girl.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein